Pneumatic-tube carrier



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,038

M. ANDERSON PNEUMATIC TUBE CARRIER Filed Des. 15, 1926 Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STA/rss;

MAURICE ANDERSON, OFQHICAGO,y ILLINOIS.

PNnUnATIc-T'UBECARRIER.

amputationv mea December 15, 152s. serial No. 155,052.

` kThis invention relates toa carrier for pneumatic tubes and has for its object provide a new and improved device of this description.L The inventionfhas as a further obj ect to provide a carrier with an indicating device Which Will not be displaced 'or 'disf' arranged While the carrier is ybeing transferred from one point to another. The invention has as a further object to provide a carrier which can be passed 'throught-he tube with either end to the front Without stickinor in the tube. VThe invention has ifurther objects Which are more particularly pointed out in the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawings: [Figure ll is a view showing one form of the carrier embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of one end of the carrier shown in Figure 1 YWith the indicating device in the processv of being vmoved to change the indication. y Figure 3 is a view showing the inner member of the indicating device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fsectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure .-1 with parts omitted.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 46 is an end vvievv of the carrier shown in Figure 1'.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional vlievv through the indicating-'device with parts omitted.l

Figure 8 is an enlarged viewof a portion of one of the rings of the indicatingdevice showing the notches for the springs'. Figure 9 yis a view showing modifications in construction. f Like numerals refer to like out the several figures.'

vIn the drawings I have shown a carrier having a hollow central section 1 Y The device `is provided with a removable' inclosing parts throughsection 2.' This inclosing section provided,

With the end piecel Lwhich is 'preferably of some material such as felt and which acts as a piston' so that the air may 1force the' carrier. vthrough the tube. The f enclosing section 2` slides oi `and onto the end 'of the section 1. In certain uses `of carriers of this' kind, a carrier is sent "from one department to another and it is :necessaryl toindicate either the department from whichv In the construction shown, the inclosing section 2 is provided With an indicating device Which in Figures l to V4 inclusive is shown as consisting o1 a sleeve 4 vwhich forms part of the inclosing section and Which is provided with yindicating means or devices such as figures O to 9 as illustrated in Figure-3. f i

In order Ito give a greater range of indic'ations,a second series of indicating vdevices or figures 0 to 9 is placed upon a ring V5 which surrounds the sleeve 4, the tWo sets ot indicating devices or gures adapted Ato cooperate. second'ring 6 is `place around the sleeve 4 so as to conceal the indicating devices or hgures thereon.' and is Iprovided with an opening 7 through Which one of such figures may be disclosed. The rings 5 and 6 are rotatively mounted upon the sleeves 4 and are also free to ybe moved rotatively therealong. .i 1 v The sleeve 4is provided With an inclosing4 end `piece 8. The ringe is vprovided with a series of notches 9 at suitableintervals and one or more springs 10 are attached to the end piece 8. `The ends of theseV springs en-` gage theend of' ring Gand the sprngsare so 'attached as to permit. theirfends to move outwardly When pressure is applied to said ends.- y The notches 9 in the ring 6 are arranged so that when. the ring is rotated, the springs will be pressed out and will slide along the Aedge of the ring fand Will then drop into the neXtnotch. rOne of these notches isz-Shown enlarged in Figure 8. Both rings 5 and 6 areinovable longitudinally along the sleeve 4. The ring' is providedy with a'series of notches l() (Figi1re`2 and the sleeve `41-is providedl With a projection 1l adapted to fit into these notches. Vhen it is desiredtoadjust the indicating device the rings 5 andG are moved longitudinallyalong the sleeve 4 in a direction vavvay' from 'the projection ll and until said projection is releasedzifrom its associatednotch. The ring 5 lmay then bemoved in either-direction, the projection Il sliding along the edge ofthe ring.` l

When any desired figure or indication on the ring is not inthe desiredpositiom--the ring is released and the projec ti on' 121 en`-' tersY on theV slots 10CL and holds the ring against accidental movement. When it ris desired -tochange the indicating devices in- Adicated the ring 6, said ring vis "rotated ineither direction and thisrotation causes the springs to'be moved out ofthe notches 9 and slide along the edge ofthe ring. l/Vhen the desired figure to be indicated by the ring 6 is reached, the springs will enter the associated notch 9 and hold the ring against accidental movement. If the indication desired to be made is, for example, Figure 1, the ring 6 will be moved until the opening 7 comes opposite the zero marlr on the sleeve 4 as indicated in Figure 1. Any other indications up to 9 will be made by moving the ring 5 until the desired indication isopposite the Zero showing through ring 6. This movement of the ring 5 as before stated, is brought about by moving both rings 5 and 6 along the sleeve 4 toward the springs 10 until the pin 11 is released and then rotating ring 5 until the desired posi tion is reached, whereupon the springs 10 will move the rings along the sleeve 4 so as to cause the pin 11 to enter its associated notch 10. The sleeve 4 is provided with a stop 12 which limits the movement of the rings 5 and 6.

"When it is desired to give an indication,

greater than 9, the ring 6 is moved or, if necessary, both rings 5 and 6 are moved until ligure 1 is exposed through the opening 7 and the figure 0 on ring 5 is opposite thereto. A further increase `in the -indicating movements is produced by moving ring 5 through its cycle until the figures 1, 2, 3,

etc., thereon come opposite the figure 1 eX- posed through opening 7. A further increase in indicating numbers is then produced byv moving ring 6 to a different number and repeating the process above set out. The notches in ring 6 for the springs 10 are arranged so that when the springs are in said notches, the opening7 is opposite one of the indications on sleeve 4. The notches 10 in ring 5 are so arranged that when the projection 11 is in one of those notches, the figures on ring 5 are opposite the figures on sleeve 4. It will therefore be seen that the indicating device is so arranged that it cannot be accidentally displaced.

At the other end of thesection 1, I provide al door 14, by means of which access is secured to the carrier. The door is provided with any suitable hinge. In the construction shown, there is a flexible piece 15 which extends around the end of the carrier, and which is preferably ofleather. This piece is provided with a projecting. part 16 which extends over the door and is fastened thereto by the fastening device 17, and acts `as a hinge for the door.

There is also a fastening member 18, which is shown as a part of the ieXible member 15, and which is'provided with` a catch 19 which extends over a fastening'piece 2O so that when the catch is attached to the fastening piece, the door is locked in position so that it cannot bey accidentally opened.

This door is provided with an engaging part 21 which engages the inner face of the tube, and which is, preferably, of felt so as to act to prevent the escape of air past the Vcarrier in the event it is pacedY in the tube with the 'the ring 5 is omitted. The parts 3 and 21 act as pistons when the carrier is in the tube and hence either end of the carrier may be the forward end. The edge of the door isv cut away for the pieces 18 and 16 so as not` to interfer with the piston action. The springs 10 are locating members as they locate and hold the ring 6 in any of its positions where an indicating device will be exposed through the hole 7. They also act to return therings 5 and 6 to their initial position after they are moved laterally or along the sleeve 4 in adjusting the ring 5. Y.

vOne means is preferably provided for protecting the indicating device. e In ythe construction shown, the end piece 8 is made of some shock absorbing material, such as felt and projects beyond the indicating device so thatwhen the periphery of the end piece 3 engages the wall of the tube, the indicating Vdevice will be free from such surface.

Back of `the end piece 3 is a flexible piece 3a. An enclosing, protecting member 3b encloses the springs 10 and is provided with an annulus 3 which extends over the end of the indicating device as shown in Figure 4. When the carrier is in the tube, the end piece 3 engages the tube and the indicating device is out of contact therewith. `When the carrier is out of the tube, the end piece 3 engages any surface against which the carrier may be thrown so as to prevent the indicating device from receiving the blow. It will be seen that by meansk of this construction, the indicating device is protected so that it cannot be accidentally injured.

Iclaim: i y. i, 1. A carrier for pneumatic vtubes ,comprising a hollow section, a removable enclosing section at one Aend vthereof comprising a sleeve slidably mounted on said section, a series of indicating characters on said sleeve, a ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve and provided with an, opening through which.

said characters may be made to successively appear, a plurality of notches in the edge of said ring and an automatic, locatingmember adapted 'to be automatically moved out of and into said notches responsivejto rotary Ymovement of said ring.

2. AV carrier for pneumatic tubes comprising a hollow section, a removable enclosing` section at one end thereof comprising a sleeve slidably mounted on said section, a series of indicating characters on said sleeve, a ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve and provided with an opening through which said characters may be made to successively appear, a plurality of notches in the edge of said ring, an automatic, locating member adapted to be automatically moved out of and into said notches responsive to rotary movement of said ring, a second ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve and having a series of indicating characters thereon and means for holding said ring against dis- Y placement when one of the characters thereon is opposite the character the hole of the other ring.

3. A carrier for pneumatic tubes comprising a hollow section, a removable enclosing section at one end thereof' comprising a sleeve slidably mounted on said section, a series of' indicating characters on said sleeve, a ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve and provided with an opening through which said characters may be made `to successively appear, a plurality of notches in the edge of sai ring an automatic locating member adapted to be automatically moved out of and into said notches responsive to rotary movement of said ring, a second ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve, a series of notches on the edge ofsaid second ring, a projection adapted to project into one of said notches when an indicating device on the second ring is opposite the indicating device exposed through the opening in the first ring.

4. A carrier for pneumatic tubes comprisexposed through ing a hollow section, a removable enclosing section at one end thereof comprising a sleeve slidably mounted on said section, a series of indicating characters on said sleeve, a ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve and provided with an opening through which said characters may be made to successively appear, a plurality of notches in the edge of said ring, a movable locating member adapted to be automatically moved out of and into said notches whenvthe ring is rotated, a second ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve, a series of notches on the edge of said second ring, a projection adapted to project into one of said notches when an indicating device on the second ring is opposite the indicating device exposed through the opening in the first ring, both of said rings adapted to be moved longitudinally along said sleeve so as to release said projection from its associated notchy in said second ring.

5. A carrier for pneumatic tubes comprising a hollow section, a removable Venclosing section at one end thereof comprising a sleeve, two indicating rings rotatably mounted on said sleeve and adapted to be moved longitudinally therealong, an elastic locating member engaging one of said rings and adapted to prevent it from being accidentally displaced, said locating member acting to move said rings baclr to their initial position after they are moved longitudinally along said sleeve. v

6. A carrier for pneumatic tubes comprising a hollow section, a piston end piece connected with one end of said section, a door at the other end of said section, a flexible piece extending around the end of said section near said door, said flexible piece provided with a flexible projection which is adapted to said door and acts as a hinge, the door being cut away at the edge at the point where the flexible projection passes it.

7. A carrier for pneumatic tubes comprising a hollow section, a piston end piece connected with one end of said section, a door at the other end of said section, a flexible piece extending around the end of said section near said door, said flexible piece provided with a fiexible projection which is adapted to said door and acts as a hinge, the door being cut away at the edge at the point where thek flexible projection passes it, said door provided with a acts as-a piston.

8. A carrier for pneumatic tubes `comprising a hollow section, an indicating device at one end of said hollow section comprising a rotatable ring, a non-locking locating device engaging the edge of said ring which holds the ring against accidental displacement but permits it to be rotated by the user.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this twenty-fourth day of November, 1926.

MAURICE ANDERSON.

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